Astros report: Jason Castro eyeing a Friday return

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Astros catcher Jason Castro took another huge step Thursday in his recovery from an injury to his right knee and could return to the starting lineup Friday night against the Athletics.

Castro, who on Tuesday had an inflamed cyst on his knee drained, was out of the lineup for the third straight game Thursday as the Astros opened a four-game series with Oakland. But he hit in the cage and took batting practice on the field before the game.

Manger Bo Porter said his All-Star catcher “very well could be available to hit later in the game” Thursday night.

“It’s feeling a lot better today,” Castro said.

Castro fouled a ball off his right knee Monday against the Twins, aggravating the cyst. The next day he had the cyst drained.

“Now that that contusion has calmed down a little bit, the trauma from sticking a needle in there and draining it out, it’s feeling a lot better,” Castro said. “I’m pretty happy with the way things have gone. It’s kind of best-case scenario. Hopefully, it shouldn’t be too much longer.”

Dominguez out with sinus issue

Third baseman Matt Dominguez was out of the lineup for the third straight game with an illness that has made him feel “lightheaded” and “dizzy.” According to Dominguez, the team’s medical staff told him Thursday that they believe he has a sinus infection.

“They gave me some medicine,” he said. “Hopefully, a little more rest and some more medicine, and I’ll be in there tomorrow. Now that I’ve got some medicine, I feel a lot better.”

Manager Bo Porter said Dominguez received an IV treatment on Wednesday.

“The training staff is doing everything they can to just try to get his energy level up, and hopefully by tomorrow, he should be at least well enough to give it a go,” Porter said.

Dominguez said he first became ill toward the end of Monday night’s game against Minnesota.

“I didn’t really know what it was because I’d never had (a sinus infection) before,” he said. “I didn’t feel too good.”

Making progress against the A’s

The Astros lost their first 10 games against the Athletics this season before finally breaking through for a 5-4 win at Minute Maid Park on July 23. They lost the finale in that series but took two of three at Oakland on Aug. 13-15, winning a series from the A’s for the first time this year.

“It was big for us,” said Astros first baseman/DH Chris Carter. “At the beginning of the season, they pretty much dominated us. We finally came in here and got some wins against them.”

Manager Bo Porter said the A’s, who won the AL West last year, had his team’s “number” early in the season.

“It was one of those things where these guys talked about it amongst themselves,” Porter said. “We kind of looked at the way in which they were beating us and said we’re going to have to make sure we don’t allow that to happen again. I felt like we played really good baseball the last time we were here.”

The A’s entered Thursday’s game tied for first in the West with Texas but fell a half-game back with their 3-2 loss to the Astros.

“They’ve got a good ballclub,” Porter said. “They’re the division champs for a reason. They have a lot on the line in this four-game series as well, but I think our guys are up for the challenge.”

Oblique limiting Grossman

Outfielder Robbie Grossman (strained right oblique) was out of the lineup for the second straight game after being injured Tuesday while swinging the bat.
“Just going day-to-day and doing treatment,” Grossman said. “Hopefully get back in there sometime soon.”

Manager Bo Porter called oblique injuries unpredictable.

“It’s not something you can put a timetable on and say he’ll be ready tomorrow,” Porter said. “I think it all depends on the progression and his pain tolerance, but he’s better today than yesterday, which is promising.”

Odds and ends

The Astros claimed outfielder Eric Thames off waivers from Baltimore and assigned him to Class AAA Oklahoma City. In 181 career major league games for Toronto and Seattle, he hit .250 with 21 home runs and 62 RBIs. The Blue Jays drafted him in the seventh round in 2008, then traded him to Seattle on July 30, 2012. Seattle traded him to Baltimore on June 30. He has spent the 2013 season in the minors. … Catcher Carlos Corporan (concussion) began a rehab assignment Thursday at Class AA Corpus Christi, starting at designated hitter in a playoff game against San Antonio. He has been on the disabled list since Aug. 20.